Patience and meticulous planning should be learned from Atalji. He did not judge people in a hurry. He would judge them only after studying them deeply

Pon. Radhakrishna

Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee was the one who proved that a non-Congress government could be formed, and make the government complete its term. He also made the government achieve various feats and receive accolades from nations across the globe. He made the world nations to wonder and be amazed about India in a single stroke through the Pokhran test. There are so many achievements of him and his government to be listed out.

BJP leader Shri Pon Radhakrishnan immersing the ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the Bay of Bengal in Kanyakumari on August 26, 2018

Impact on Governance

The frequency of flights increased only during his period. Improvement in road facilities came in his period, which both supporters and non-supporters can never deny. Even today many talk that Vajpayeeji is the reason for these roads and this shows the huge change he engineered. It was under his government, where telephone reached every home. Earlier, people needed to book STD call or trunk call before this and Vajpayeeji should be appreciated for changing it. Earlier, it took very long time to get a gas connection after booking, but Vajpayee ji changed it by making the procedure to get the connection easily without hurdles and also sanctioned two cylinders to every house having a gas connection. These small yet important measures changed the way people lived their lives in India.

Golden Quadrilateral Project

Vajpayee ji gave more focus on implementing his schemes in a rapid and diligent manner. He organised gatherings with the ministers and government officials involved in the national highway project to discuss its progress. This was a driving force for everyone to work better in this project. The foundation stone event for Kanyakumari to Kashmir Corridor was long pending and hence I talked to him in Parliament regarding this pending work. The same night I received information from the Prime Minister Office about having this foundation stone event on February 2, depending on the availability of then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and this inauguration event happened during the same day as planned.

The Vajpayee ji government decided to start two sub-centres of Sports Authority of India. Uma Bharati was the cabinet minister at that time. One centre was planned in Lucknow, the constituency of Vajpayee ji and another in my District Kanyakumari. I got opportunity to travel with him for the inauguration event of this sub-centre. He wanted to complete this project without any delay and that showed his interest and enthusiasm towards sports.

Personal Memories

There are many sweet memories with him. I used to visit him every year on his birthday to seek his blessings till his demise. On every December 25 (Vajpayee ji’s birthday), I visit Atal ji irrespective of my other programmes and events. Until his memory faded out, he felt very cheerful and proud while seeing me on his birthday. I also have great relations with his family. Not to forget, he was also the first swayamsevak to become a Prime Minister, that is even more special for a swayamsevak like me. Patience and meticulous planning should be learned from him. He did not judge people in a hurry. He would judge them only after studying them deeply.

(The writer was a Union Minister of State for Finance & Shipping in Atal Behari Vajpayee government. As told to Saiganesh Sritharan, Deputy Director, Tamilagam Research Foundation)